Despite managing to guide one of his acts into the grand final and finishing as a runner-up on last year's X Factor, Gary Barlow may not return to the ITV1 show.

Music mogul and X Factor supremo Simon Cowell admitted that although Gary was a firm favourite with fans he might not be able to return this year because of his busy schedule.

Cowell said that the 41-year-old will have a lot on his plate this year with his day job being a member of Take That.

He told the Sun: 'This show takes over your life, it is not a two day a week show.'

Take That are planning to release a new album and in order to promote it Gary would need to be with the band a lot of the time travelling up and down the country and through Europe.

Simon said to the newspaper: 'I always thought that with Gary he would have the Take That commitment in 2012.

'But there has to be a certain amount of unpredictability with this show, it is what keeps people interested.'

According to reports, all of the new judges found the show very time consuming last year and were surprised by how much it took over their lives.

The 2011 series of X Factor UK - with new judges Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Kelly Rowland joining Louis Walsh - found itself being regularly beaten in the ratings war by BBC rival Strictly Come Dancing.

Despite in-fighting between the judges and controversy surrounding contestant Frankie Cocozza, the series averaged 14.13million viewers, with 15.5million tuning in to watch Little Mix crowned the winners.

However, the previous year, a record 19.4million watched Matt Cardle beat Rebecca Ferguson to the crown.

He told The Sun: 'I got a bit too cocky. We got a big wake-up call.

'We went into 2011 thinking, ''It's all going to be easy'' and of course it wasn't. It was the year my ego was put in check.'

And he warned: "This show takes over your life, it is not a two day a week show."

Take That plan a new album and promoting it could mean Gary will be too busy to rejoin the TV show on which he was such a hit last year.

Simon told TV Biz: "I always thought that with Gary he would have the Take That commitment in 2012.

"But there has to be a certain amount of unpredictability with this show, it is what keeps people interested."

He said that Gary and the other judges had been surprised at how the show had dominated their lives and added: "It is relentless.

"They felt it big time."

Simon also told TV Biz that NONE of last year's other judges — Tulisa Contostavlos, Kelly Rowland and Louis Walsh — were guaranteed a spot this year. He said: "I don't know if I will keep the panel the same yet. No one knows yet because I haven't decided.

"Look what happened last time I tried to fire Louis! But I wouldn't say he is safe.

Simon Cowell has confessed that he will most likely invite his old pal Louis Walsh to return to judge on this year’s series of The X Factor.

The music mogul recently returned to the UK, to film the auditions for the 2012 series of Britain’s Got Talent, but of course what the press really wanted to know is who will be back and who will be sacked on the ITV singing show.

The TV boss revealed that he would find it difficult to drop Louis from he lineup, but Take That’s Gary’s future does not look quite so secure.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Simon – who missed the entire series of X Factor UK last year as he concentrated on his US version – explained:

“There will be some changes. It would be difficult [not to have Louis on the show].”

When asked specifically about the fate of Barlow, Cowell added:

“Some people loved Gary, some people didn’t.”

Gary is currently working with last year’s runner up Marcus Collins on his debut album, which will be released in March.

It has recently been claimed that new judge [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], having become disillusioned with the press ‘circus’ that surrounds the show.

However [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and is desperate for a second chance, after her act Little Mix won last month.